Rajshahi Correspondent:

The mango festival has started bustling markets and reviving the local economy almost everywhere in the region, particularly in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts, over the past few days.

Harvesting of the seasonal delicious fruit began last Thursday, generating employment for many people in harvesting, sorting, transportation and marketing.

According to administrative decisions, farmers are currently harvesting local and indigenous varieties of mangoes. Gopalbhog will be harvested from May 22, Ranipachhand and Lakhna from May 25, and Himsagar or Khirshapat from May 30.

Langra is expected to be harvested from June 10, Amropali and Fazly from June 15, BARI-4 from July 5, Ashwina from July 10, Gourmati from July 15, and Ilamati from August 20.

“We are now harvesting some of the native varieties commonly known as Guti or Chosa, including Sagarika, Boishakhi, Chapra and Chorsha,” said Anwar Hossain, a mango grower from the Koyerdara area in the city.

He said there are around 300 local varieties, which will ripen naturally over the next couple of weeks, one after another.

Anwar Hossain Polash of Bagha Upazila said large native mango varieties were being sold at Taka 1,400 per maund, while the smaller ones fetched Taka 800-1,000 in the initial stage. Compared to the previous season, the prices are somewhat lower.

Sohel Rana, a resident of Namajgram village under Puthiya Upazila, who has been trading mangoes for around 15 years, leased around 500 trees this year.

That the yield is good, and he hoped for better trading in the coming day.

Within the next couple of weeks, mango trading is expected to gain momentum in different markets of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts as newly harvested mangoes appear in the markets.

Markets famous for mango business, including Baneswar, Shaheb Bazar, Haragram, Upashahar, Shalbagan, Rajabari, Godagari, Kansat and Rohanpur, will take on an eye-catching look.

Baneswar is the largest mango market in Rajshahi and is known as the “mango capital” of Bangladesh. It becomes a bustling hub during mango season, offering various varieties.

The market sees a surge in activity as the season begins, with farmers picking and selling mangoes according to the district administration’s mango calendar.

Umme Salma, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said there are nearly 3,363,986 mango trees spread across 19,578 hectares of land in Rajshahi. The office expects a yield of 13.20 tonnes per hectare this year.

Masudur Rahman, President of the Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the mango production target set this year is expected to generate a market value of around Taka 10,000 crore in the region.

He said Bagha Upazila is the leading mango-producing area, accounting for one-third of Rajshahi district’s total yield. Last year, 36 tonnes of mangoes were exported to 10 countries from the upazila.

Anwarul Haque, President of the Rajshahi Agro Food Producer Society, said mangoes produced in Rajshahi have been exported to various European and other countries over the past few years, creating a scope for earning foreign currency.

He also said mango farming using the fruit-bagging method has been gradually increasing in recent years. This method helps eliminate pesticide use, prevents fruit-fly infestation, and boosts poison-free mango production.

He added that many farmers and value chain actors received training on best agricultural practices, enabling them to explore high-value export markets.

Export is nearly twice as profitable as selling in local markets. However, additional costs and care are required to prepare mangoes for export, including the use of modern technologies.

Dr Shafiqul Islam, Principal Scientific Officer at the Regional Fruit Research Station, that mangoes have been cultivated on 26,150 hectares of land in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts this year, with an expected yield of 2,44,000 tonnes.

In Naogaon, 12,671 hectares of land have been brought under mango cultivation, with a production target of 1,61,242 tonnes, while another 4,823 hectares in Natore are expected to yield 56,021 tonnes.